Cop holder



June 10, 1941. A D, A, CUMFER 2,245,070

COP HOLDER Filed Jan. 17, 1939 INVENTOR Dana/d A 00m/er w ma ATTORNEYPatented June 10, 1941 COP HOLDER Donald A. Cumfer, Ridgewood, N. J.,assigner to Willcox & Gibbs Sewing Machine Company, New York, N. Y., acorporation of New York applicati@ January 17, 1939, serial No. 2513er)yClaims.

The present invention relates. to improvements in cop holders. fHeretofore cop holders have generally been in the form of straight pinsor pegs upon which the cops were loosely suspended. However, such copholders allow the cops to be vadversely moved about as the thread or thelike is vWhipped or drawn from the windings thereon, and sometimesall-ow them to be pulled entirely away `from the Pes.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a copholder which issturdier and more positive than those heretofore proposed.

A feature resulting from the attainment of this object is the provision`of a stationary gripping member, and a slidable gripping member with aspring for causing both of said members to firmly grip the bore of acop'.

It is a further object to provide a cop holder which will prevent thecop from turning and which will prevent the cop from being pulled offthe holder.

Features resulting from the attainment of this objective include theprovision of pointed members at least one of which is controlled orshifted by yielding means, such as a spring, adapted to bite into thecop and to effectively hold it both against turning and being pulledoil` the holder.

Other features include the provision of novel slide means foradvantageously supporting a movable member to grip a cop, and novelspring means for controlling the movable member whereby the cop may beplaced or replaced on .1'

the cop holder easily with only one hand.

The holding of cops entails specialv problems because the inside boresthereof are usually considerably tapered, and because they are made in avariety of sizes.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a cop holder whichwill effectively hold cops of divers sizes and cops having both straightand angular bores even though the latter are either slightly orconsiderably tapered.

To this end the present invention includes feau tures such as theprovision of cop gripping members adapted to firmly bite into the innerside walls of the cop, whether the bore thereof be straight or tapered,said .gripping members being movable through a considerable range toaccommodate and grip various diameter cop bores, and to automaticallycompensate for any wear or distortion in the cop at the point 'where thegripping occurs.

Other objects, features and advantages will appear hereinafter.

In the drawing, which shows the present preferred forms of theinvention:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the cop holder, provided by the presentinvention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional View taken on line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional View of one of the cop holders shown inFigs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but shows both, instead of only one,gripping members movable.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but shows the movable grippingmembers controlled by tension rather than compression springs.

Before describing the present improvements and mode of operation thereofin detail it should be understood that the invention is not limited tothe details of construction and arrangement of parts shown in theaccompanying drawing, which are merely illustrative of the presentpreferred embodiments, since the invention is capable of otherembodiments, and the phraseology employed is for the purpose ofdescription and not of limitation. Also, the expression cop holder asused herein is intended to embrace spools having straight bores, andthread, yarn, string and like holders whether made of wood, cardboard ordivers other materials.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, that form of the invention shownin Figs. 1 through 4 includes a base I0 which may be in the form of: acasting; a at metal or like plate secured to a table II, bench or thelike as by screws I2;

or, a base Illa formed as an integral part of the table, as shown inFig. 5.

The present preferred form of cop holder I4 is shown at either side ofFigs. 1 and 2, and is shown in enlarged form in Fig. 3. It comprises asubstantially stationary member I5 preferably in the form of a stud I 6with a reduced and threaded shank Il extending -through a suitable holeE8 where it is secured in place and against turning by a nut I9. A point29 may be made integral with a head section 2l of the stud, or it may,as shown. be a pin forced therein or otherwise suitably secured thereto.

Complementary to the stationary gripping member l5 there is provided amovable gripping member 22 comprising a slide 23 in the form of aninverted T-shaped block ridingv in a suitable slot 24 formed in the baseI'Il and held therein by a stud 25 and nut 26 slidably holding a washer21 and shoulders 28 against the top and bottom faces 29 and 30respectively of the base. Preferably, the movable gripping member isprovided with a point 3| projecting generally in a direction away fromthe point 20.

The purpose of the points 20 and 3I is to firmly bite into the wall 32of a cop 33 or the like and effectively prevent turning thereof andprevent inadvertent removal of the cop from the holder.

Preferably this form of the invention is provided with a compressionspring 34 for normally urging the movable gripping member I in adirection away from the stationary gripping member 22 to make the points20 and 3l bite into and hold the cop 33 firmly. Locating and supportingthe spring 34 is effectively accomplished by providing a stud 35 on themovable gripping member slidably fitting within one end of the springand a suitable depression or socket 36 with a simple overlying plate 31substantially enclosing the other end of the spring.

The gripping members I5 and 22, andthe structure for locating andsupporting' the same just described in detail, provide a sturdy and veryeffective means for holding cops of divers sizes, shapes and materials.

The dot-and-dash line showing in Fig. 3 serves to show how the same copholder may be used to hold straight cops and cops of a much smallersize.

Fig. 4 shows a slightly modified form of cop holder I4', differing fromthe rst form just described in detail mainly in the provision of two,rather than only one, movable gripping members 22, both slidable in alonger .slot 24. The coil spring 34, and the movable gripping members 22including the washers 21, blocks 23, studs 25, nuts 26 and the like arejust the same as those described in connection with Fig. 3. Also, inthis form of the invention, by sliding opposite ends of the compressionspring over coaxially opposed studs 35 on the blocks 23 the plate 31 maybe omitted.

In order to load either of the cop holders I4 or I4 just described it ismerely necessary to press the inside wall of a cop holder against themovable gripping member 22, sliding the same in the slot until theopposite inside wall of the cop slides over the mating gripping memberWhereupon the cop may be released and be held firmly by the points'asshown in Figs. 3 and 4 particularly. Unloading may be effected by merelypressing against one side of the cop until the opposite side is free ofthe mating gripping member and then lifting the cop completely from theholder. The top surface 29 of the base supports the bottom end wall ofthe cop as shown in Fig. 3, which also shows a gripping member slidablealong a line in the plane of the end wall.

A further modified form of cop holders 38 is disclosed in Fig. 5,differing from the forms shown in Figs. 3 and 4 primarily in theprovision of a tension rather than a compression spring, and in acombination in which one spring may operate or control two cop holders.

The stationary and movable gripping members I5 and 22 respectively ofthe cop holder 38, may be exactly the same as those described in detailin connection with Fig. 3 (with or without the stud 35) and the movablemembers 22 may reciprocate in suitable slots 39 in the base Illa.

This form of the invention, however, provides an improved form of`spring control, comprising a tension spring 4D which may be merelylooped or otherwise connected from onevmovable gripping member 22 to thefixed gripping member I5 of the next adjacent cop holder as shown at theleft side of Fig. 5; or, opposite ends of the one tension spring 40 mayboth be secured to movable gripping members 22 of two adjacent copholders as shown at the right hand side of Fig. 5, whereby one springoperates or controls two cop holders 38. The latter feature results in aconsiderable economy in manufacturing and assembly cost. Further nospecial recesses 35, studs 31, or holding plates need to be provided tohold the springs in place which results in still further economies.

Loading and unloading of the cop holders 38 shown in Fig. 5 isaccomplished in the same Way as loading and unloading of the cop holdersI4 and I4' shown in Figs. 3 and 4 particularly and hereinbeforedescribed in detail.

It will be understood that minor changes in details of construction andlarrangement of the parts can be made without departing from the spiritof the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention vwhat is claimed as new is:

1. In a holder, for a cop having an inside Wall and an end wall adjacentsaid holder, the combination of a base contiguous the end Wall of thecop, said base being slotted; means including a pair of pointed membersin said base to grip said inside wall near one end of the slot; means onone of said pointed members for guiding same in a straight-line path ofreciprocation in said slot; and a compression spring for sliding saidone of said pointed members relative to the other and along a straightline parallel to the plane of the adjacent end wall.

2. In a holder, for a cop having an inside wall and an end wall adjacentsaid holder, the combination of `a base contiguous said adjacent endwall of the cop; a pair of pointed members slidably mounted on said baseand adapted to grip the inside wall near the adjacent end wall; acompression spring for sliding at least one of said pointed membersrelative to the other and along a line parallel to the plane of theadjacent end wall; means for retaining said spring in said base;interengaging means on the base and the pointed members to preventarcuate movement of each pointed member, and to guide each slidablemember along a straight-line path of reciprocation, parallel to theadjacent end wall.

3. In a holder, for cops each having an inside wall and an end walladjacent said holder, the combination of a base having a slot and havingtop and bottom faces, the top face being contiguous said adjacent endwall; a plurality of gripping members on said base; means on said wallsof the cops near said adjacent end wall.

4. In a holder, for cops having an end wall and an inner Wall defining abore, the combina-l tion of a slotted base adapted to support the endwalls of the cops; a pair of gripping members on said base slidable insaid slotted base; at least one additional pair of gripping members insaid wall of the cop; a pair of pointed members slidable in said baseadapted to grip the inside wall near the adjacent end Wall; a projectionon at least one of said pointed members; a compression spring on saidprojection; and interengaging means on the base and the pointed membersto prevent arcuate movement of each pointed member, and to guide eachslidable member along a. straight-line path of reciprocation, parallelto the 10 adjacent end wall.

DONALD A. CUMFER.

